#99 May 2015 Cape Cod

The name Cape Cod produces images of fish (cod, of course), whales, fishing villages and fishermen braving the wild Atlantic Ocean.

Did you know that in 1620 the Pilgrims first arrived in the New World, not at Plymouth, but on the tip of Cape Cod?

Before setting foot on land they created an agreement to govern and provide order for the new settlement. The Mayflower Compact’s core principles became the foundation of American Democracy.

In Provincetown the Pilgrim Monument commemorates the Mayflower Compact.

After five weeks of exploration the Pilgrims determined that the land was not suitable for settlement and moved on to Plymouth.

However, the sea around Cape Cod was teeming with fishing and whaling opportunities.

On the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown became a vibrant fishing and whaling community. Whale oil was in great demand in Europe and the colonies. In search of the great sperm, whale ships ventured farther and farther out to sea remaining at sea for months, even years.

The first shipwreck in the area occurred in 1626. The turbulent waters off Cape Cod wrecked thousands of ships before the Cape Cod Canal was opened in the early 1900s, permitting coastal traffic to bypass the treacherous sandbars that lay offshore.

The majority of the shipwrecks occurred in the late 1800s. U.S. Life Saving Stations were built to keep watch for ships in distress.

Members patrolled the beach, meeting halfway between stations and exchanging tokens to confirm that they had covered the entire length of the their beach.

Between rescues the surfmen also maintained watch from the lookout tower. Chairs and reading material were prohibited to ensure constant vigilance.

The men’s lives were a mixture of monotony, repetition and occasional, terrifying excitement brought on by rescues. Weeks and months passed between shipwrecks but the men maintained the station and equipment, followed a stringent training regimen and remained alert for ships in distress.

If a wreck was close to shore the surfmen fired ropes out to the ship’s rigging with a small cannon and hauled survivors in one by one on a “breeches-buoy”. A sharp seven-man crew could bring a shipwreck victim safely to shore within five minutes. This photo is of the breeches (pants) buoy, a cork life ring with canvas pants.

The surfmans’ most dangerous duty was the surfboat rescue on rough seas. Timing and coordination were critical during launching and landing to avoid being smashed by the breakers. Surfboats could accommodate a dozen people – a captain, six surfmen and five survivors.

It is difficult to comprehend the courage displayed by the surfmen committed to saving the lives of strangers stranded at sea.

The modern Coast Guard now patrols the coastline and rescues boat and ships in distress.

Today Provincetown honors it's history and is a thriving arts and cultural centre. Throughout Cape Cod tourism, and of course, great seafood draw visitors from far and near.